2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry

Dear John,

That would be fabulous. How do I access the private messaging? Also looking forward to being able to buy your book!

 

It's easy. I'll send you a message and you will see a notification in Inbox at top right of the Home page. Once we are in comms we can take it from there.

John

 

This letter posted in May'45 - to Sgt. Ben Symes - SRY - from Sgt. "Spud" Taylor - 2nd Fife & Forfar - both were previously "C" Squadron Sergeants in the 24th Lancers (prior to August'44 - when the 24th L was disbanded in Normandy)



7928109 Sgt. Taylor
"C" Squadron,
2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry,
B.L.A.
5/5/45
My dear Ben,
Just a short note to send you greetings on this day of days, and to confirm that all is well with yours truly, despite the efforts of the bazooker boys during recent days!
Marg. tells me that she has heard from Phyl who mentions that you have been home on leave - at last. Good for you! What did you think of the recent addition to the family? Is the poor child really like you, or has fate been kinder!!?
Joking apart though, Ben, it must have been a great reunion, and now that things have reached this peaceful stage out here, you must be feeling pretty good. I know I am, anyhow.
Won't stop for more now. I've a whole pile of correspondence to see to and I'm trying to catch up, so cheerio, old lad,
Yours, Spud.

 

Good evening! I can see these are pages 61 and 63 of the diary. We have just adopted the grave of
Captain Roger Horace Albert Gregory (29 of age)
Service number 164277
Royal Armoured Corps / 2nd Fife and ForfarYeomanry
Deceased on 18-10-1944. We think we could find more information about his last days, which are exactly missing between page 61 and 63. Would you also have page 62? Best regards from The Netherlands

 

Is this what you need?

 

Yes! Oh, thank you so very much! Highly appreciated! We are trying to find out as much as we can. Again, thank you!

 

Hello
Lots of great work in this section
I’m researching L M Skelton (my grandfather), I know he got as far as Holland before being badly injured. Would be interested if anyone else has come across his name on records. I’ve attached his bookmarked page from the FFY book. Only just found this after he passed away.
Thanks

 

He is listed as being wounded 18/10/44 too.

 

If he was also around the Venray/Veulen/Ijsselstein area then? 18th Oct 1944 was a day of quite heavy fighting, as I have read in several diaries of Dutch occupants. Very detailed stories of how that day passed, hour after hour.

 

Thank you for that. He was very badly wounded but went on to live a very happy life to 96. He was very lucky to survive the attack.

 

Yes it seems after getting so far after dday +2 it was a tough time as they got closer to Germany.

 

The advance on Veulen was part of 'Op Pollux', 11th Armoured Div's supporting attack to the right of the 3rd British Division, which was battling for Venraij. Pollux was phase two of 'Op Constellation', the 8 Corps effort to clear the German bridgehead west of the Meuse in Oct 44.

Operation Pollux is described in some detail by Didden and Swarts "Kampfgruppe Walther and Panzerbrigade 107".



Attached some pages of the pertinent chapter; hope this is of help:

 

That’s brilliant thank you for posting this it’s very interesting

 

There's a brief ref to Major "Peter" aka A.G.E. Loram above in post#9 - with...

Oct. 1/7
Handel; The regiment was resting at Handel m.r. 6033. During this period Major Sir. J .E.Gilmour, Bart. assumed 2 i/c of the regiment, on the posting of Major G.R. Trotter to No. 2 ARG. Capt. A.G.E. Loram assumed command of B sqn. and was promoted to the rank of A/Major.

The link at...

Radley College Archives

Has some further info and obituary.

Casualty Details | CWGC

And a picture here: WW2 Loram, AGE - Radley College Archives

 

Re. Lt. Cecil Pritchard...

Mentioned in the F&F War Diary ref. here....

2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry

See... Facebook public group... "11th Armoured Division"

Robert Curtis

With...

"Many thanks to Rob Stout for finding 5 more photographs of the 280, all from The 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry.
18 DOWN...262 TO GO
1st photo: Cecil Pritchard 311622 (first in Regiment to be killed - no known grave)
2nd photo (taken close to building):
Stanley Thompson 7891937 (front - sitting on left)
James Bernard Scott 7891927 (back row - 3rd from left)
For reference - Rob Stouts Grandad, Norman Imlach is shown in 2nd row - 2nd from left. Regimental football team circa 1943.
3rd photo:
Hugh Patrick Hutton 7892695 (in front with HPH on his top), at 40 years the oldest of the 280 to die.
John Sharp Adamson 421419 (front row - far right)
C Squadron football team circa 1943"

 

Just spotted this- absolutely sure it’s Dante- my wife spotted her father Bob Haines, he was the commander- 8th from left at the back- with his driver Ronnie Forbes who was a long-standing friend of the family after the war - 5th from left at the front.. here’s a photo of the crew.

 

Have you seen the post just before this one listing 2 crew names?

Cheers

Kevin

 

Hi Austin,

Thanks for the tank name confirmation. Do you know the rank of the 2 crew members?

Cheers

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,
I’m glad you spotted this..
Robert (Bob Haines) was commander A/sgt, and Trooper Ronnie Forbes was the driver...
B Squadron- B Troop
other members:
Trooper Robert (Bert) Moyer- gunner
Trooper Andy Mathers- wireless operator
Trooper ?? - lap gunner
Cheers
Austin